About Amplius

Luke Rowlands builds momentum where it matters most — on the ground, across teams, and at the executive table. His 25+ year career in services and infrastructure has been defined by large-scale delivery, strategic clarity, and a sharp ability to align people, projects, and performance across Australia and globally.

Armed with an MBA and deep expertise in organisational change, strategy, and risk, Luke doesn’t just manage — he transforms. He has built a reputation for pushing innovation, elevating team capability, and transforming challenges into lasting outcomes.

As Managing Director of AE Smith, Nuvo, and Envar, Luke leads from the front. He shapes strategy, sharpens delivery, and drives business performance — always with a clear line of sight to client goals and commercial success.

Since stepping into his current role in 2023, Luke has steered the businesses through a new chapter, reinvigorating the culture, strengthening partnerships, and establishing a clear direction for sustainable growth. Under his leadership, AE Smith, Nuvo, and Envar continue to raise the bar on service, safety, and delivery.

Few in the industry bring the depth of experience and calm authority that Russell Houlahan does. With over 40 years in services and infrastructure, he’s built a career at the intersection of technical precision and commercial acumen, leading teams, projects, and businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

Russell’s background spans electrical trades, engineering, and senior roles at Downer EDI and Alstom Australia, where he guided major infrastructure and risk portfolios. What sets him apart is not just his technical depth, but the way he brings people together — building trust, listening first, and creating space for practical, reliable solutions to take shape.

In 2023, Russell stepped into the role of Commercial Director and helped shape what is now Amplius — the coming together of AE Smith, Nuvo, and Envar under a single, unified brand. Today, he leads with clarity and intent, ensuring every commercial decision supports long-term success for clients, teams, and partners alike.

Away from the boardroom, Russell’s passion for craftsmanship continues — he’s a certified Level 2 sommelier who appreciates structure, balance, and attention to detail in all forms.

Simon Kerry cuts through complexity to create clarity and control. With over 25 years in finance across Australia, Asia, and the UK, he shapes commercial strategies that drive long-term growth and keep Amplius future-ready.

At Amplius, Simon directs the financial engine room, building scalable systems, pressure-testing investments, and aligning capital with strategy. He keeps the business resilient, agile, and focused on outcomes that matter.

His career moves across insolvency, valuation, and corporate transactions. Starting at Ferrier Hodgson, he dives into restructures and recovery. He expands that expertise with Kroll in London and Hong Kong, then sharpens it further at KPMG in transaction services.

Inside Downer, Simon drives major acquisitions — including Tenix, VEC Group, and Hawkins — and helps form the Infrastructure & Construction division post-Spotless. Across every role, he builds credibility by staying precise, decisive, and deeply commercial.

At Amplius, his influence is felt in every major decision — from how risk is measured to how growth is financed. Simon operates with intent, ensuring the numbers always serve the bigger picture.

Joe is the General Manager of the Envar Group of Companies, overseeing Envar Engineers and Contractors (Construction), Envar Service (Service), and Airparts Fabrication (Fabrication). Since taking the helm, he has driven the Group’s growth by over 700%, cementing its status as a leading force in Western Australia’s HVAC market. With more than three decades of high-level management experience across the commercial, industrial, institutional, and health sectors, Joe has a proven track record of strategic and financial leadership, including his tenure as State Manager of T. O’Connor’s / Environ and board member for James Hardie Building Services’ national mechanical services division. His career achievements include expanding businesses by over 500% and serving three years as President of the Air-conditioning Mechanical Contractors Association of WA.

With over 30 years of experience in the mechanical services industry, Jake McCarron brings deep technical expertise and operational leadership to his role as QLD Operations Manager. A dual trade-qualified professional and Queensland local, Jake holds formal accreditation through the QBCC Occupational Mechanical Services licence, covering Airconditioning & Mechanical Plumbing as well as Limited Design Nominee Supervision. These credentials reinforce his ability to lead complex, compliance-driven projects across a wide spectrum of mechanical systems.

In his current role, Jake oversees the planning and delivery of mechanical services operations throughout Queensland. His responsibilities include supervising site teams, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing resources to meet project timelines and quality standards. Jake is recognised for his commitment to safety, client satisfaction, and team collaboration. His experience and qualifications allow him to mentor emerging talent while maintaining strong relationships with clients, contractors, and industry partners. Grounded by his local insight and shaped by his professional journey, Jake continues to drive operational excellence and technical leadership across AE Smith’s QLD division.

With an MBA in Human Resources, Karishma brings over 18 years of experience across the building and trade services, retail, and pharmaceutical sectors in Australia, the Middle East, and India. Her expertise spans employee relations, HR operations, talent and performance management, and learning and development—underpinned by a strong focus on aligning HR with business outcomes. She has worked across a range of organisational environments, from fast-paced startups to transitioning businesses and mature enterprises, giving her a well-rounded and adaptable HR perspective.

In her current role as HR Business Partner at AE Smith and Nuvo, Karishma leads the implementation of core HR operational processes, supporting governance while enabling scalable and fit-for-purpose practices across the employee lifecycle. She led the rollout of a new HRIS, oversaw the transfer of people processes during a business divestment, and helped standardise policy frameworks to strengthen consistency across the organisation.

Known for her consultative style and collaborative approach, Karishma partners closely with business leaders to embed performance and culture initiatives that support both operational priorities and people development. Passionate about continuous improvement, she aims to deliver HR solutions that are practical, human-centred, and impactful.

Kon Kinnas is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of operational leadership in facilities maintenance, infrastructure services, and essential asset management across defence, industrial, commercial, and government sectors. As General Manager – NSW at Amplius Group, Kon leads strategic operations across the region, with a strong focus on customer engagement, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. His leadership spans complex environments where service delivery, compliance, and innovation are critical to success.

Throughout his career, Kon has held senior roles across a range of nationally recognised organisations including Downer, Programmed, Serco, Wormald, and Wollongong City Council. He has overseen end-to-end management of integrated contracts in high-risk environments such as defence establishments and estates, large-scale industrial precincts, and local government infrastructure. With a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams of over 600 personnel, Kon has consistently delivered strong results in areas such as shutdown and project delivery, service transformation, emergency response operations, and long-term facilities planning.

Kon is widely recognised for his hands-on leadership style, strategic foresight, and ability to embed robust performance frameworks. His professional approach is grounded in values of team development, compliance, safety, and continuous service optimisation—making him a trusted partner to both clients and internal stakeholders. In his current role at Amplius Group, Kon is driving sustainable growth and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective solutions aligned with the company’s broader national objectives.

David is a results-driven, highly experienced operational and transformational executive with a stellar track record across Property, Facilities Management & Engineering Services. With over three decades of diverse leadership, David excels in driving large-scale business transformations and operational excellence, underpinned by his commercial acumen and dynamic leadership style.

Throughout his career, David has led complex, high-performing business units, delivering strategic growth, optimised cost structures, and exceptional stakeholder outcomes. As General Manager AE Smith/Nuvo across SEA, he leads both the Electrical and Mechanical Services business units driving growth, exceptional service delivery and value- add solutions to our customers. At JLL, he spearheaded transformational growth across Australasia’s Financial Services, Resources, and Infrastructure sectors, achieving year-on-year revenue increases, high customer satisfaction scores, and service innovation. At Essential Energy, he transformed property and security operations, executing asset strategies that delivered sustained cost savings and operational enhancements.

David’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident from his diverse industries experience, where he has provided bespoke solutions for both operations and customers, focusing on strategic planning, business transformation, and operational excellence. His impactful leadership at National Australia Bank, where he managed a $600M+ property portfolio and drove landmark workplace transformations showcased his ability to navigate complexity, manage risk, and deliver value.

Earlier in his career, David excelled in engineering, asset management, and service transformation roles at Spotless Group and Nilsen Electric, demonstrating his capacity to adapt and thrive in diverse operational environments. His foundation in electrical engineering services and projects have uniquely positioned him to bridge operational, commercial, and strategic imperatives that drive value-add outcomes for customers.

Experienced Engineering and Projects Manager with over 35 years spanning engineering, construction, and operations—delivering results through collaboration, technical leadership, and operational discipline.

At AE Smith, I support the tendering, design development, and delivery of multidisciplinary projects with a focus on compliance, value, and risk. I’ve contributed to major infrastructure and commercial programs including CityLink, EastLink, and national FM contracts with Coles Group. My project portfolio covers sectors such as energy, mining, commercial property, and essential services—supporting clients like Santos, Shell, Origin, Coles and NAB.

Prior to AE Smith, I served as Principal Project Specialist – MEP for the North East Link Program (NELP) within VIDA. In this role, I led a multidisciplinary design team on behalf of the State Government for a landmark Public-Private Partnership. This included oversight of MEP design development for the 6.5 km road tunnels, a rail tunnel extension, delivery of temporary power supplies, and integration with the O&M contractor for the operations phase.

I take a steady, team-focused approach—working with integrity, prioritising safety, and staying open to innovation that benefits the client, the environment, and the project or service outcome. I believe successful delivery comes from clear expectations, mutual respect and a collective focus on delivering quality outcomes.